Kalidou Koulibaly has declared his belief that the current Senegal squad possesses the quality to match — and potentially exceed — the historic quarter-final run the Lions of Teranga produced at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking to FIFA.com, the veteran defender pointed to the exceptional talent within the present group as grounds for genuine optimism ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He noted that several members of the squad have lifted the UEFA Champions League and lead their respective clubs in scoring — a standard he argued would challenge any side, even at European level.